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Chavez, Kotsay seek All-Star support

Chavez, Kotsay seek All-Star support

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By Mychael Urban
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MLB.com |

OAKLAND -- A's manager Ken Macha has said that center fielder Mark Kotsay and third baseman Eric Chavez are All-Stars in his mind, but both players are going to need plenty of help from their fans if they're going to be voted into this year's Midsummer Classic at Detroit's Comerica Park.

Fortunately for Kotsay, who has provided Gold Glove defense while hovering close to .300 for much of the season, and Chavez, who shook off a slow start and was batting .373 with six homers and 15 RBIs in June through Friday, there's plenty of time to stuff the ballot box.

Fans can cast their votes for starters up to 25 times with the Ameriquest 2005 All-Star Online Ballot at MLB.com and all 30 club sites through 8:59 p.m. PT on June 30, and last year more than eight million votes were cast in the final month of balloting.

In the latest vote totals released, the A's don't have any players in the top five at their position, and none of their outfielders is in the top 15. And one door through which Oakland fans can get their favorites in closed when the old-fashioned balloting at McAfee Coliseum ended Sunday.

Thus, MLB.com is the only option for voters looking to reward Kotsay and Chavez for their play.

The 2005 American League and National League All-Star teams will be unveiled on the "Major League Baseball All-Star Game Selection Show" presented by Chevrolet, which will air live on ESPN at 4 p.m. PT on Sunday, July 3. This special program will feature the announcement of the 17 elected starters, as determined by the fan balloting program, and 45 pitchers and reserves, as determined by the player ballot and the two All-Star team managers -- Terry Francona of the Boston Red Sox and Tony La Russa of the St. Louis Cardinals -- and Major League Baseball.

Immediately following the "Major League Baseball All-Star Game Selection Show," fans will have the opportunity to select the final position player for each league's 32-man roster at MLB.com. The Ameriquest 2005 All-Star Final Vote will provide fans the opportunity to cast their votes from a list of five players from each league over a three-day period. Both winners of the Ameriquest All-Star Final Vote will be announced after the voting has concluded on Wednesday, July 6.

Concluding the All-Star balloting process, fans once again will have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player presented by Chevrolet at the 76th All-Star Game via the Ameriquest 2005 All-Star Game MVP Vote on MLB.com.

The All-Star Game, set for July 17, will be televised nationally by FOX Sports and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage, while MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage and MLB Radio will provide exclusive play-by-play coverage of the game on the Internet.

Mychael Urban is a national writer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.